Rotatable Illuminated Game Board

ABSTRACT

A rotatable illuminated game board system to adapt to contemporary board games or for use with newly-conceived games, the system including stained glass elements adhered to a translucent plate beneath a modified printed sheet of game instructions and rules, all atop a quadrilateral housing attached to a stationary platform by means of a Lazy Susan type bearing allowing rotatability, said housing containing a switchable electric light source that permeates the stained glass elements and accentuates such areas on the playing surface that are important to the game&#39;s strategy or esthetic quality.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PENDING PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to provisional U.S. Pat. App. No. 61/234,707, filed Aug. 18, 2009.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to back-lit stained glass elements substituted for strategic areas on the playing surface of table board games, such lighting and glass elements contained within a rotatable enclosure, to improve the esthetic appearance of the playing surface and thereby enhancing the enjoyment of the game's participants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A board game is a game in which counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across a “board” (a premarked surface usually specific to that game). As do other forms of entertainment, board games can represent nearly any subject.

There are many different types and styles of board games, including those at the most basic level that that have no inherent theme, such as Checkers, as well as more-complicated games with definite subjects, such as Chess. The board itself is usually a delineated quadrilateral surface.

Board games have been played in most cultures and societies throughout history; some even pre-date literacy skill development in the earliest civilizations.

Popular contemporary board games such as Monopoly®, Scrabble®, Risk®, and Trivial Pursuit®, involve an element of luck (the roll of the dice or the luck of the draw), but rely heavily on one's strategy in “capturing” or “landing on” certain areas that reward with bonus points or other advantages. A player may be hampered with a few poor draws or rolls of the dice, but over many games the player with superior strategy will win more often. In Scrabble® the luck factor involves randomly selected letters, and the strategy involves playing those (point-weighted) letters to their best advantage utilizing the various bonus squares on the board.

The playing surface of most board games is a color-printed sheet of paper adhered to a thicker, opaque, more rigid quadrilateral member. Important areas are designated with different color ink or shadings to attract the players' attention as they strategize.

The invention herein provides a board game playing surface with stained glass pieces, replacing the opaque bonus areas, illuminated from below so as to give bright colors to an otherwise rather drab appearance.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention herein relates to improvements in “parlor” board games. While a great many versions of board games are in existence today, they universally are constructed of opaque playing surfaces on which is printed information and graphics that define the rules and object of the game. Generally the graphics depict areas of importance to the game's strategy, such as awarding bonus points for a participant to “occupy” that space with their playing piece or tile. Because of the common board's density, or lack of transparency, the brightness of those important areas is limited to the color and hue of printed ink. This invention provides a way to increase the brightness of particular important areas and enhance the enjoyment of the players.

This invention may be adapted for use with a current popular board game, or utilized with a game yet to be conceived.

The structure of this invention consists of a rotatable rectangular housing mounted on a stationary platform and having an open top to which is attached an assembly of a translucent plate with attached stained glass pieces upon, a printed paper sheet with openings to receive the stained glass pieces, and a transparent top member. Within the housing is a low-heat light source, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), to illuminate the stained glass pieces and provide pleasant visual accent to those strategically important areas on the game's playing surface.

The electrical power cord traverses from within the housing to a wall outlet by means of openings in both the housing bottom and the stationary base. A “Lazy Susan” type bearing between the stationary platform and the housing allows rotatability. To prevent undue twisting of the electrical cord, a mechanical stop is provided, thereby limiting rotation to no more than 360°.

A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in further detail. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings (which are not to scale) where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the current invention, here adapted for use with the contemporary board game Scrabble®, by way of example.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with elements removed to reveal the interior of the housing, and with portions broken away to reveal elements below the housing.

FIG. 5 is a cross section elevational view taken along cutting plane 5-5 of FIG. 2, with elements omitted for purposes of clarity.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the transparent topmost element of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the transparent topmost element, partially in section following cutting plane 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the flexible, printed, translucent modified game sheet of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the flexible translucent modified game sheet, partially in section following cutting plane 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the translucent plate, with stained glass pieces attached, of FIG. 3.

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of the translucent plate assembly of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a different game board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It is to be understood that the invention that is now to be described is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and arrangement of the parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in a variety of ways. The phraseology and terminology employed within are for purposes of description and not limitation.

Elements shown by the drawings are identified by the following numbers:

10 Game board, generally 12 Housing assembly 14 Platform assembly 16 Stained glass elements 18 Transparent top layer 20 Decorative fasteners 22 Housing 24 Platform 26 Feet 28 Electrical cord 30 Ridges 32 Printed game sheet 34 Printed graphics 36A Openings array 36B Stained glass elements array 38 Openings 40 Translucent plate 42 Adhesive 44 Lazy Susan type bearing 46 Bearing outer race 48 Bearing inner race 50 Light source 52 Pucks 54 LEDs 56 Transformer 58 Bracket 60 Enclosure bottom 62 Enclosure bottom opening 64 Platform opening 66 Spacers 68 Bottom surface 70 Fastener 72 Fastener 74 Peg 76 Peg

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating illuminated game board 10 with housing assembly 12 and platform assembly 14. Stained glass elements 16 are visible through transparent top layer 18 which is attached to housing 22 by decorative screws 20. Platform 24 with feet 26 supports housing assembly 12 by means of Lazy Susan type bearing 44 (not shown this view). Electrical cord 28 exits below platform 24 in the space provided by feet 26 and plugs into a convenient outlet.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the game board 10 of FIG. 1. Illustrated is a modified printed game sheet 32 seen below transparent top layer 18, both, by way of example, similar to those found in a version of the contemporary board game Scrabble®. Other existing games might well have been depicted instead. The example of Scrabble® is used in drawing FIGS. 1 through 11. Also seen in FIG. 2 are stained glass elements 16 as they protrude through openings 38 in printed game sheet 32. Graphics 34 on game sheet 32 might offer rules of the game, product information, and fanciful artwork. Electrical cord 28 emerges from under platform 24, below housing 22.

FIG. 3 is an exploded isometric view of the game board 10 illustrating the various layers of structure. Transparent top layer 18 provides protection for the second layer printed game sheet 32 and also protects stained glass elements 16 which penetrate game sheet 32 by means of openings 38. The array 36A of openings is game sheet 32 corresponds identically with the array 36B of stained glass elements 16 adhered to third layer translucent plate 40. All three layers (18, 32, and 40) are attached to housing 22 with decorative screws 20. Housing 22 contains a low heat light source 50 such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), here shown as pucks 52 with LEDs 54. Outer race 46 of “Lazy Susan” type bearing 44 is attached to platform 24 and inner race 48 is attached to housing 22 at final assembly. Electrical cord 28 passes through opening 62 of enclosure bottom 60, thence through opening 64 in platform 24 and between feet 26.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the housing 22, platform 24 and bearing 44. The three top layers are omitted in this view. Low-heat light source 50 is shown here, as in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, as several (here three) pucks 52 with LEDs 54, with transformer 56 plugged into electrical extension cord 28 which exits through concentric openings 62 and 64 in bottom 60 and platform 24 respectively. Cord 28 is secured to bottom 60 with bracket 58 to prevent accidental strain on the internal electrical connection. Bearing 44 has inner race 48 attached to housing bottom 60 with screws 70 and outer race 46 attached to platform 24 with screws 72 in a conventional manner, forming the familiar “Lazy Susan” turntable effect.

This view, FIG. 4, would be common to embodiments involving games other than Scrabble®, (see FIG. 12) with the light source 50 being a variable. Fluorescent lights could also be used as a light source 50.

FIG. 5 is a cross section view taken along cutting plane 5-5 of FIG. 2, with some artistic license taken with regard to screw locations. Transparent top layer 18, with ridges 30 to help position playing tiles, has bottom surface 68 proximate to stained glass elements 16, that being accomplished with spacers 66 between top layer 18 and game sheet 32. Stained glass elements 16 sit atop translucent plate 40 which diffuses the light from source 50, causing a more even distribution and eliminating glare. Bearing 44 is attached to platform 24 with screws 72 through outer race 46 and attached to housing bottom 60 with screws 70 through inner race 48. Cord 28 exits through opening 62 in housing bottom 60 and opening 64 in Platform 24, and thence between feet 26. Cord 28 is secured with bracket 58. Light source 50 comprises pucks 52 with LEDs 54 arranged conveniently within housing 22. Peg 74, embedded in platform 24, and peg 76, embedded in closure bottom 60, when colliding during rotation, provide a stop, thereby preventing a rotation of no more than 360 degrees and saving the electrical cord from twisting unnaturally.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the transparent top layer 18. Here again the layer 18 is similar to that found on a version of the contemporary game Scrabble®, having ridges 30 to aid in positioning playing tiles. Other adaptations of this invention would have top layers different from what is depicted here. FIG. 6 is a top plan view and FIG. 7 is an elevational view, partially in section according to cutting plane 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a modified printed game sheet 32. FIG. 8 is a top plan view with an array 36A of openings 38 which corresponds identically with array 36B of stained glass elements 16 shown in FIG. 10. Graphics 34 may offer game rules, product information, or fanciful artwork. FIG. 9 is an elevational view, partially in section according to cutting plane 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate the translucent plate 40. FIG. 10 is a top plan view showing an array 36B of stained glass elements 16 corresponding identically with array 36A of openings 38 of sheet 32 seen in FIG. 8. FIG. 11 is an elevational view with stained glass elements 16 adhered to layer 40 with adhesive 42 which is a common glass-to-slick-surface adhesive that dries clear.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of an illuminated game board 10, showing the general configuration of the playing surface of another currently popular game, Trivial Pursuit®, and how it would be enhanced with stained glass elements 16 corresponding to the bonus areas of the game rules. In this example the stained glass elements 16, in which a player is rewarded a “pie” in his playing wheel for correctly answering the question posed to him, may be illuminated in the color which corresponds to the color of the appropriate category in the game rules.

It will be obvious that any conventional game board having areas that reward the player for landing thereon with his playing piece may be enhanced by the addition of illumination as described herein. 

1. A system for use to play a board game, comprising: a housing configured and dimensioned to rest on a table around which two or more contestants can gather, the housing having short length upright sides providing a horizontal open top and a confined space there below; a horizontal transparent base plate affixed to and covering said horizontal top of said housing; a plurality of colored, transparent individual elements mounted on said base plate and locationally arranged in keeping with rules of the game being played; and a transparent top plate covering said base plate and said individual elements and providing a game playing surface.
 2. A system for use to play a board game according to claim 1 including: light emitting means positioned within said housing and below said base plate.
 3. A system for use to play a board game according to claim 2 including a short height rotatable platform having a horizontal top surface on which said housing can be positioned.
 4. A system for use to play a board game according to claim 3 wherein said platform top surface has an opening therethrough for receiving an electrical cord therethrough by which electrical energy can be supplied to said light emitting means.
 5. A system for use to play a board game according to claim 4 including means of limiting the rotation of said platform top surface to 360° to prevent twisting of said electrical cord. 